EXPERIENCE INDEED BY CRISTIANO RONALDO

DOS SANTOS AVEIRO

He started playing football At the club, he trained at their

early in life, at the age of 8,
when he started playing for
Andorinha a local amateur
football club. At the age of 10,
he signed up with the local club
Nacional, having started to
show talent. In 1997, at the
age of 12, after a title winning
season with Nacional, he was
signed up by Sporting CP for an
undisclosed sum
Academia Sporting with the other
youth players. By the age 14, everyone
realised that he had potential and he
decided to try to give playing football
professionally or semi professionally a
chanceAt the club, he trained at their
Academia Sporting with the other
youth players. By the age 14, everyone
realised that he had potential and he
decided to try to give playing football
professionally or semi professionally a
chance

When he was 15, Ronaldo was
diagnosed with ‘Racing Heart’
and he needed to undergo
surgery to correct it. If not
for the treatment then, his
career of a professional
footballer would be over before
it even started.
He became the only player in the club
to play in their Under 16, Under 17,
Under 18, B- Team and eventually the
first team all in one season. He scored
twice in his debut league match
against Moreirense. He was also
selected for Portugal’s Under 17 Team
for the 2002 European U 17
championship.

In November 2002, he visited Arsenal Football Club to meet Arsène Wenger who was interested in
signing him and wanted to discuss arrangements with Ronaldo’s representatives. During his very
successful years in Sporting CP and his visit to London, he came to the attention of Liverpool FC as
well.